Originally from the U.S.A., John Curtis has been involved with education in Switzerland since 1964 when he was appointed Headmaster of the then English-Speaking School of Bern (now ISB). He has since served as Headmaster of the International School of Lausanne (1977-1989) and was founding Director of The Winter Term in Lenk in 1989. A graduate of Yale with an MA from the University of Pennsylvania, he was a charter member of ECIS and has served as both Treasurer and Executive Secretary of SGIS.

Alison, his wife of 58 years, a teacher and environmentalist, is a former chairperson of the ECIS Environmental Education Committee and is active with several projects in Kenya and Zambia.